I am tending to produce more images with muted colors. I suppose partly in response to an abundance of IMO over-saturated and overly contrasty images out there. Sometimes it works - sometimes not.

With respect to my reference to 'slightly out of balance symmetry'. IMO the first image has a symmetry about a horizontal near the midpoint but somewhat weighted toward the top. The second has a symmetry about a vertical but is unbalanced toward the left. I was wondering whether others note the symmetry or not and how it may or may not affect perception of the image. In the framework of a group of images from a recent outing these two stood out to me and I am wondering why.

I like the first, but would make a suggestion. I think the asymmetry is essential. For my own tastes, the area on the right is simply too much -- too much mass. I'd suggest zooming in to get less of it, but still weighted to that side, and with the other stones and grasses extending to the left as you presently have them. I might place the right edge just to the left of the background rock at the top. I'm speaking only about aesthetics as I see them in this image.

With respect to my reference to 'slightly out of balance symmetry'. IMO the first image has a symmetry about a horizontal near the midpoint but somewhat weighted toward the top. The second has a symmetry about a vertical but is unbalanced toward the left. I was wondering whether others note the symmetry or not and how it may or may not affect perception of the image. In the framework of a group of images from a recent outing these two stood out to me and I am wondering why.

Thanks for pointing out the blue tint in the corner.

You're welcome. I understand what you write, but I have to confess that when I look at either of those images, the word "symmetrical" does not leap, unbidden, to my mind. As to "out of balance symmetry", the phrase brings to mind a wonderful quotation from a legal judgment I once came across:

[Counsel] pled, and pled briefly but strenuously, in favour of a principle of elasticity - elasticity, that is to say, in the construction of a contract which provides for punctuality. My lords, my mind cannot comprehend the elasticity of punctuality. I know of no method of construction of a contract by way of contradiction of it.

You're welcome. I understand what you write, but I have to confess that when I look at either of those images, the word "symmetrical" does not leap, unbidden, to my mind. As to "out of balance symmetry", the phrase brings to mind a wonderful quotation from a legal judgment I once came across:

[Counsel] pled, and pled briefly but strenuously, in favour of a principle of elasticity - elasticity, that is to say, in the construction of a contract which provides for punctuality. My lords, my mind cannot comprehend the elasticity of punctuality. I know of no method of construction of a contract by way of contradiction of it.

Lord Shaw of Dunfermline, 1921

Jeremy

I can see some symmetry in the first image but for the second one, my imagination is seriously lacking.

The first is fine, especially the colors, but imo the 2nd would be improved by the removal of the top left rock portion

The quote that Jeremy provided, repeated below for sheer joy, is marvelous!

[Counsel] pled, and pled briefly but strenuously, in favour of a principle of elasticity - elasticity, that is to say, in the construction of a contract which provides for punctuality. My lords, my mind cannot comprehend the elasticity of punctuality. I know of no method of construction of a contract by way of contradiction of it.

Lord Shaw of Dunfermline, 1921

Of course clearly Lord Shaw never studied the era of so-called metaphysical poetry.

Stephen and Justan - thanks much for the comments - I'll have a go at your suggestions and see what happens.

Jeremy - lovely quote indeed - perhaps more for the eloquence of the words than for their wisdom. Lord Shaw paints things a bit black and white for my taste. In practice, viewpoints on the 'elasticity of punctuality' differs quite a bit between cultures.

I may well be seeing symmetries that don't exist. On the other hand, many (if not most) physical systems (mechanical systems, climatic cycles and economic systems) exhibit order/symmetry/determinism at some scales and disorder/asymmetry/randomness at other scales so it isn't unreasonable to consider the possibility that an image can be symmetric at one scale but also contain a superimposed asymmetry that would pull the symmetry 'out of balance' when the image is taken as a whole.

there must be something interest about the photos because I looked at them for a while and even taken them into LR for a better look. IMO there is no main focus point in either photo although by cropping the attention is drawn more the "face" rock [how many saw that?] in #2.

#1 is a nice photo however I feel there is better image there. Just for an idea I have added a Orton effect as taught to me by Dwayne Oaks

Please note: My edits are just for ideas and are usually done in a minute or so on a laptop in a room with variable lighting and will not be perfect and must be seen and read as a editing/photography guide only.

All comments must be taken as just my personal thoughts and how I read the image. I was not there when the photo was taken and I can only guess the colours, conditions and the reason the photo was taken in the first place